How to Create Inventory Forms in OpenOffice

by B. Steele, Demand Media

Apache offers an online repository of user-created templates that you can use as a starting point for creating your own inventory forms for your business. Starting with a template can save you hours of time, especially if you want to create a form in Calc with formulas. If you import the template into OpenOffice's Template Management, you can even apply future template changes to existing forms.

Step 1

Navigate to Apache’s template repository for OpenOffice (see Resources for the link).

Step 2

Locate a suitable template for your needs. You can either enter search terms in the search field provided, or browse by category, program or other options.

Click “Save.” Whenever you open the file in OpenOffice, or double-click it in Windows Explorer, a new form based on the template will generate.

Tips

If you ever need to edit the template itself, you can do so in two ways. Either open the template, click “File,” “Save as” and overwrite the original, or click “File,” hover your mouse over “Templates” and select “Organize” from the program’s main menu. Click the "My Templates" folder then the “Commands” button and “Import Template.” Browse to your template file and click “Open.” Click your template file, which should be listed under the “My Templates” folder, click “Commands” and “Edit.”

Click “File” and “Save” when you’re finished. After you save your changes, any time you open a file based on that template, OpenOffice will ask you if you want to apply the current styles to that document. Clicking “Yes” will apply the updated template to the document.

Warning

If you save changes to a template manually (as opposed to importing and editing it in Template Management), you will not be able to apply template updates to existing forms.

About the Author

A writer and proofreader since 2006, B. Steele also works as an IT Help Desk analyst, specializing in consumer and business user tech support. She earned a B.A. in English and journalism from Roger Williams University. Steele also holds certifications as a Microsoft-certified desktop support technician, Microsoft-certified IT professional, Windows 7 enterprise support technician and CompTIA A+ IT technician.

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